Chapter 38
Weihu Lake was originally a thriving place for the babbling brooks and reeds. The lake water was clear, and when a gentle breeze rippled across the surface, the songs of the reeds would rise with the waves, earning it the reputation of being a "cradle of life."
However, under the influence of the Dark Root forces' black water, the lake turned into a lifeless wasteland.
The lake's whirlpools bubbled and churned with black liquid. Many polluted reeds had turned into "night reeds," their blades sharp as knives, specifically designed to harvest any creatures that approached.
The Mother Tree Light Domain Alliance decided to use this as their first joint campaign to prove their existence.
There is only one goal: to liberate Weihu Lake and reclaim the heart of Qingshui.
Allied forces gathered on the plains:
Seabuckthorn tribe: They deploy in front, using sharp thorns to form a natural barrier.
Survivors of the Whispering Reeds: Bring the "Song of Purification," which weakens the dark power of the Night Reeds.
Sprout 12 and Free Sprout: Responsible for infiltration and intelligence gathering, searching for the source of the whirlpool in the lake.
237 and the main trunk of the mother tree's light domain: The "root light array" is set up on the periphery. This is the first practical application of the mother tree's potential after it has been awakened.
As the light array formed, the earth's roots began to tremble slightly, and all alliance members felt an energy beneath their feet—an energy they had not yet fully grasped, but which was enough to rewrite the course of the battle.
Black mist rose from the center of the lake, and the night reeds surged in like a tide, their sharp blades whistling in the wind.
Seabuckthorn Barrier
The sea buckthorn tribe first took root, its branches transforming into a thorny wall to withstand the onslaught of the night reeds. Thorns clashed with leaves, sparks flew, and blood and sap splattered everywhere.
Reed Song Counterattack
The survivors of the creek-blowing reeds stood by the lake and sang in unison.
The song spread like ripples, and wherever the night reeds were touched, the black water on their bodies would instantly evaporate into white mist, revealing their original emerald green color for a moment.
Bean Sprout Stealth
Sprout 12 led the Free Sprouts into the heart of the lake. They skillfully darted among the roots and water veins, pursuing the depths of the whirlpool. Soon, they discovered that the source of the black water was a hidden root monitoring pod, anchored at the lake bottom, constantly devouring the water veins and turning the clear water into poison.
Once the source point was confirmed, 237 and the main trunk of the mother tree's light domain immediately began operations.
The root light array suddenly activated—
The earth cracked open, and enormous roots, like ribbons of light, emerged, pointing straight to the center of the lake.
The light spread along the roots, like a burning net, enveloping the night reeds.
The night reeds, soaked in black water, began to struggle in agony, their leaves turning into fragments of light and returning to the soil.
The dark roots and pods in the heart of the lake emitted a sharp, low hum, as if summoning reinforcements.
But the light array from the root vein instantly pierced its core, and the collision of light and darkness caused huge waves to rise on the entire lake surface.
Eventually, the seed pods shattered, the black water dissipated, and the lake gradually returned to its clear state.
When the battle ended, the allied forces were badly wounded. The seabuckthorn tribe had sacrificed a large portion of their defensive fortifications, and a third of the Whispering Reeds were swallowed by the black waters during their song-filled battle.
But the lake regained its clarity, and the remaining reeds vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the realm of light and protect the last bastion of purity.
Above the lake, 237 gazed at the afterglow of the light array emanating from the mother tree's roots, and for the first time clearly realized:
The potential of the mother tree is not just defense, but the fundamental power to rewrite the world.
Meanwhile, in the distant Dark Abyss, the Dark Roots leadership received news of the fall of Reed Lake.
They remained silent, but in the stillness, a new deployment was quietly underway.
The victory at the Battle of Reed Lake ignited the Alliance's hopes.
However, before the flames of victory could spread across the plains, the fury of the Dark Root forces surged from the abyss.
In the deepest rift valley of the earth, black waters converge to form a river.
They are no longer naturally flowing waterways, but rather "rivers flowing backwards" that have been altered by the Dark Root apostles.
As night fell, the black water crawled up the surface through the cracks, carrying the stench of death, and rushed straight towards the Mother Tree Light Domain Alliance's stronghold—the Light Domain Plain.
At first, the Allied forces only felt that the ground was unusually wet.
When the sea buckthorn thorns sink into the soil, an unnatural chill emanates from them;
The leaves of the reeds in the stream suddenly bent, as if one could hear suffocating whispers from the ground.
Soon, black water gushed out from the cracks, forming streams of black water.
Within the waterfall, life forms materialized:
Nightscale Beast: Its entire body is covered in scales, and its flesh is formed from black water. When it moves, it can tear apart roots.
Rotten Reed Shadow Soldiers: They mimic the shape of reeds, but only use sharp leaves to slash, lacking any life-giving luster.
Black Mist Entangling Spirits: These are formless and intangible; once inhaled, they can invade the bodies of living beings, causing them to turn against their allies.
This was a surprise attack without warning.
Seabuckthorn Iron Wall
The seabuckthorn tribe reacted swiftly, setting up a defensive perimeter and forming a ring of spikes to block the Nightscale Beasts' charge.
The spikes kept breaking, but with each one broken, new roots would grow back, determined to prevent the enemy from entering the core of the light domain.
Stream Whispers
The survivors of the reeds sang in fear.
Their songs, carrying the clear sounds of the lake, attempted to dispel the black mist that clung to the spirits.
But this time, the black mist had clearly been modified, able to meander and lurk within the singing, searching for the singer's weaknesses.
Mother Tree Light Domain
Hu Zi 237 and the main trunk stood at the center of the array, activating the remaining root vein light array.
The beams of light shot into the sky like a lighthouse, illuminating the darkness.
As the beam swept across, the Corpse Reed Shadow Soldiers' bodies were instantly stripped away, turning into withered ashes.
However, the light array has a limited duration, the mother tree is not yet fully mature, and each burst comes at the cost of consuming the root.
Just as the Allied forces were gradually regaining their footing, a figure slowly emerged from the black water.
He wore a cloak draped with seaweed and bone fragments, and his feet trod on ripples, turning the land into mud wherever he went.
He is the new apostle of the Dark Root, "Qihe".
Legend has it that he was once a prophet of the Stream Reeds. After being captured by the Dark Roots, he was forced to devour the seeds of the "River of Reversal," and from then on, he lost himself, leaving only black water and hatred.
Qihe raised his hand, and a sound like lake water echoed across the plain:
"Since you dare to tamper with the earth's roots, then let all the water sources betray you."
He then pressed his palm into the soil.
In an instant, the clear spring beneath the Allied forces' feet all reversed course, turning into a black torrent.
Those water veins that originally supplied the growth of the Light Domain have now become weapons for the enemy.
The alliance's defenses suddenly crumbled.
The roots of the sea buckthorn tribe began to wither, the songs of the babbling reeds ceased, and even the hiding routes of the sprouts were completely blocked by the backflowing water veins.
Standing in the center of the light array, 237 felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.
The roots of the mother tree roared within its body, almost tearing itself apart.
This was the first time they had truly confronted the apostles head-on.
If they fail, the Light Domain Alliance will be completely wiped out, and the potential of the Mother Tree will be swallowed up by the Black Water.
Under the watchful eyes of countless people, 237 slowly raised his hands and softly recited an ancient phrase that no one had ever heard before:
“The root and veins, reversed.”
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